When NBC cameraman, Ashoka Mukpo, was evacuated back into the United States after being exposed to the Ebola virus in Liberia, the other members of his news crew made an agreement with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to voluntarily subject themselves to self-isolation set up the agency can monitor them for signs of the virus as well. This was a preventive measure that needed to be implemented in order to stop the possible spread of the Ebola virus within the country. However, the news team was ordered to undergo mandatory isolation on Friday last week after one of their members reportedly broke quarantine.
On Monday night, NBC's chief medical editor, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, came out with an apology saying that she apologizes for knowingly breaking the self-isolation agreement that she made with local, state, and Federal officials. In the statement, Dr. Snyderman explained the circumstances surrounding the incident.
"While under voluntary quarantine guidelines, which called for our team to avoid public contact for 21 days, members of our group violated those guidelines and understand that our quarantine is now mandatory until 21 days have passed. We remain healthy and our temperatures are normal. As health professional I know that we have no symptoms and pose no risk to the public, but I am deeply sorry for that concerns this episode caused. We are thrilled that Ashoka is getting better and our thoughts continue to be with the thousands affected by Ebola whose stories we all went to cover."
Princeton Administratoe, Bob Bruschi said that to ensure that the mandatory isolation order is enforced, the Princeton Police Department is conducting hourly drives through the neighborhood where is Snyderman is located. Additionally, a public health nurse has been assigned to check on her vital statistics two times a day. Dr. Snyderman and her team are now under mandatory quarantine until October 22.